Button antenna for handheld devices

An electronic device comprising:

• storage that stores data;
• processing circuitry coupled to the storage that generates data for wireless transmission and that processes wirelessly received data;
• wireless communications circuitry that communicates with the processing circuitry, wherein the wireless communications circuitry comprises a movable button antenna comprising a resonating element formed on a planar substrate;
• and
• a conductive housing that forms a ground for the button antenna and that has an outer surface, wherein the button antenna comprises:
• a button member that has a top surface;
• a resonating element disposed within the button member;
• and
• a latching mechanism that holds the button member in an undeployed button antenna position in which the top surface of the button member lies flush with the outer surface of the housing and a deployed button antenna position in which the top surface of the button member protrudes beyond the outer surface of the housing.

An electronic device comprising:

• storage that stores data;
• processing circuitry coupled to the storage that generates data for wireless transmission and that processes wirelessly received data;
• wireless communications circuitry that communicates with the processing circuitry, wherein the wireless communications circuitry comprises a movable button antenna comprising a resonating element formed on a planar substrate;
• a conductive housing that forms a ground for the button antenna;
• and
• transceiver circuitry, wherein the button antenna comprises:
• a button member that has a surface;
• a resonating element disposed within the button member;
• and
• a latching mechanism that holds the button member in an undeployed button antenna position in which the transceiver circuitry is inactive and a deployed button antenna position in which the transceiver circuitry is active.

A handheld electronic device comprising:

• a button antenna that is movable between a deployed position and an undeployed position;
• processing circuitry that is used to operate the handheld electronic device;
• radio-frequency transceiver circuitry coupled to the processing circuitry and to the button antenna that transmits and receives radio-frequency signals using the button antenna when the button antenna is in the deployed position;
• a metal housing that forms a ground for the button antenna;
• a sensor that detects when the button antenna is in the deployed position and that detects when the button antenna is in the undeployed position;
• and
• a latching mechanism that holds the button antenna in an undeployed button antenna position.

A handheld electronic device comprising:

• a button antenna that is movable between a deployed position and an undeployed position;
• processing circuitry that is used to operate the handheld electronic device;
• radio-frequency transceiver circuitry coupled to the processing circuitry and to the button antenna that transmits and receives radio-frequency signals using the button antenna when the button antenna is in the deployed position;
• a metal housing that forms a ground for the button antenna;
• a sensor that detects when the button antenna is in the deployed position and that detects when the button antenna is in the undeployed position, wherein when the antenna is in the deployed position, the processing circuitry places the radio-frequency transceiver in an active state and when the antenna is in the undeployed position, the processing circuitry places the radio-frequency transceiver in an inactive state;
• and
• a latching mechanism that holds the button antenna in the undeployed position.

A handheld electronic device comprising:

• a button antenna that is movable between a deployed position and an undeployed position;
• processing circuitry that is used to operate the handheld electronic device;
• radio-frequency transceiver circuitry coupled to the processing circuitry and to the button antenna that transmits and receives radio-frequency signals using the button antenna when the button antenna is in the deployed position;
• a metal housing that forms a ground for the button antenna, wherein the button antenna comprises a button member;
• and
• a sensor that detects when the button antenna is in the deployed position and that detects when the button antenna is in the undeployed position, wherein when the antenna is in the deployed position, the processing circuitry places the radio-frequency transceiver in an active state and when the antenna is in the undeployed position, the processing circuitry places the radio-frequency transceiver in an inactive state, wherein the sensor comprises a switch that is attached to the button member;
• and
• a latching mechanism that holds the button antenna in the undeployed position.

A pushbutton antenna for an electronic device that has a conductive case with a conductive case surface, comprising:

• a button member having a top surface;
• a radiating element attached to the button member;
• and
• a pushbutton latching mechanism that holds the pushbutton antenna in a deployed position in which the radiating element protrudes outwardly beyond the conductive case surface and an undeployed position in which the radiating element is recessed beneath the conductive case surface.

A handheld electronic device comprising:

• a movable button antenna, wherein the movable button antenna has a button member that contains a resonating antenna element formed on a planar substrate;
• a radio-frequency transceiver;
• a flexible conductive path that conveys signals between the radio-frequency transceiver and the movable button antenna and that maintains an electrical connection between the resonating antenna element and the radio-frequency transceiver as the movable button antenna is moved from an in position to an out position;
• a metal case, wherein the metal case forms a ground for the movable button antenna and wherein the flexible conductive path contains a ground conductor;
• and
• a latching mechanism that holds the movable button antenna in place when the movable button antenna is in the in position.